Any ideas for DVDs for amusing 18 month old while I BF new baby? Totally clueless about which characters I should go for, preferably ones that speak proper English though...

[norktasticninja]

DD's never really watched TV, but I'd like to have some DVDs in just in case this new baby likes long feeds. She's bilingual (Dutch / English) and I could do with increasing her exposure to English as she's definitely putting Dutch first ATM (quite rightly really, we live in the Netherlands).

So, which characters are good? I saw a bit of In The Night Garden and TBH it's a really good example of what I'm not I'm looking for...

You want Something Special - it is great communication, and very clear

I was going to come and recommend Something Special too. It's quite expensive though I think, as the BBC class it as an educational dvd rather than entertainment.

Bear in the Big Blue House is good, but they do speak with American accents and you might prefer her to hear English accents.

Very expensive but if you two say really is good I'll certainly get one Thanks!

I should have said I wanted to avoid American accents really, although she'll probably end up with a bit of a twang anyway I'd rather not encourage it (snob)!

I was thinking of getting 3 DVDs, any other tips?

I think Baby einstein ones are quite good. Expensive but educational.

She's a bit young still for Charlie and Lola. That has the clear speach that you are looking for, but I'm not sure whether it would enthrall her enough at 18 months.

DS loved Bob the Builder at that age, but that probably wouldn't work so well for a girl. DD is 16 months and likes Fifi and the Flowertots, but Jane Horrocks squeaky voice grates a bit after a while (for me anyway, DD doesn't seem to mind). The Little Princess is also Jane Horrocks but for some reason she's less annoying on that.

Maisy is good for that age.

My DS is nearly 2 and has adored Shaun the Sheep from a very young age. There is no talking at all though. However you might consider it for your own entertainment!

Both DSs loved Spot the dog at this age although it's not "real people" talking so in theory not so good for language development.

Maisy is good too and comes in lots of languages.

Charlie and Lola I have seen, I liked that but it probably is a bit old for her. Baby will be called Charlie (if he really is a boy) so that could be quite confusing for her...

My niece has Bob The Builder in Dutch and DD ignored it completely when it was on at her house. I would have though she would have liked it

HaventSleptForAYear - I didn't know real people were better for language development, makes sense though. Does it need to be actual humans or are cartoon ones OK? It doesn't have to be hardcore educational stuff, but it would be handy if it helped her language development too.

I'm off to look at the other suggestions now...

DS loved Bob the Builder at that age. Spot and Kipper were popular too.

Girls I know of that age seem to love Peppa Pig (I can't bear it....).

Apparantly that's why CBeebies is so good because they have "real" presenters so you see their lips move and associate the sounds with that movement?

Or summat?!

Can you get a satellite dish and get Cbeebies?

We have a free one (in France) and get the English channels and it really is great for the DS.

It's nice for them to watch a range of programmes and now that DS1 is older he just loves all the "making" programmes on there.

I think Charlie and Lola is too old for 18mths.

DS1 liked a tumble tots DVD with songs on that I got ages ago too.

Yes Sean the Sheep is great - both of my two LOVE it and you can always talk about it yourself.

Ah yes, Boogie Beebies

Thanks HaventSlept - DP wouldn't stand for a satellite dish. Is Cbeebies a channel in itself or is it on BBC 3 or 4? If we get digital TV we can have BBC3 & 4 (have 1 & 2 already). Not sure how mich digital costs though and we don't really seem to watch TV. I shall look into it!

I'm looking at all the characters suggested so far, but, Peppa the Pig seems to have a penis for a head Is that just my filthy mind? I really can't be doing with that though!

I'm somewhat bewildered by the choice...

The best program on CBeebies is "Something Special" with Mr Tumble. I tape the episodes onto my freeview box and my DCs love them. I think you can also get it on DVD.

Also, Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs are great (IMO)! My DS absolutely adores them. He has learnt some funny stuff from them. His fav curse when something went wrong used to be "bouncing buffers!".

oops, I meant Peppa Pig, obviously.

I have nothing to add to this thread but can I just say, I will not be able to look at Peppa Pig in the same light again

Number jacks!

My DS has watched this from about that age and picked up a lot about numeracy from it as its devisers are ex maths teachers/advisors they also do a numberjacks comic. Think there are 2 dvd's! I agree with Thomas DVD's too, short enough to keep their attention at this age, I also used to get a pile of interactive books at the ready when BF DD, good luck

Something special
Peppa pig
Balamory
Fifi
Come outside
Tractor Tom

Fifi

Bob

Peppa

Totally agree with Something Special, it's fab.

Tikkabilla is also very popular with my DD, can pick it up quite cheaply (got mine for £3 in HMV sale) and has real people speaking english and singing!

Don't get NumberJacks - DS found it scary when he saw it once at 3 - some spectre like character called The Numbertaker absolutely terrified him. Howabout getting a friend in the UK to record some Cbeebies for you? If they did a couple of DVD's you could see which things she likes, then buy your own based on that.

My 2 year old DD2 is a big fan of Peppa and Kipper DVDs. Mind you, she's also very keen on Horrid Henry and High School Musical !

at that age mine really like The Wheels On The Bus. It's narated by Dawn French and it's short cartoon stories about nursery rhymes.

Cbeebies in on BBC4 during the day (it is on all day til 7pm English time, 8pm CET which is perfect for us because the DS go to bed at that time so occasionally they can watch the bedtime story at the end and then they know that really is IT.

We don't watch TV either but I do occasionally watch some stuff on the BBC now.

DS1 was most put out when his daddy wanted to watch the local news the other day "but you don't watch tv, you only go on the computer!".

We don't pay for the satellite, just for the dish (we couldn't get ANY tv so this was the only solution to get some, mostly for visitors or babysitters).

Yes tikkabilla.

It's our planet (animals)

don't know if it's on DVD, it's on cbeebies.